Prior to learning about the mantra of the Black Mambas, Gunther's camera had chronicled everyday heroines including documented nurses, members of church marching bands, transgender women, lesbian activists and a woman fighting cancer. "When I heard about the Black Mamba Anti-Poaching Unit at the beginning of this year I knew I had found the sixth part of this project," Gunther said. Inspired by their tenacity and spirit, Gunther spent five days with these women, observing their hard work and understanding their motivations.

Gunther captures the unarmed women patrollers who protect legendary wildlife in the region, especially the rhinoceroses, whose horns are now worth thousands on the black market. Mambas keep on the lookout for snares -- wires fashioned into loops and fixed to a fence -- that trap animals when they step into it and tighten as they attempt to move away. It's a notoriously cruel mode of killing.

The Mambas are committed to tracking down snares before animals become victims. "With a mix of lipstick, boots and camouflage fatigues, these women are watching, waiting, walking, constantly on the lookout for early evidence of poacher activity," Gunther continued. "They are a formidable and highly effective anti-poaching task team that is trying to defend and protect South Africa’s wildlife heritage against poaching."

In South Africa, the phrase "the Big Five" often refers to lions, leopards, rhinos, buffalo and elephants, the most coveted wildlife in the region. Protection of these species frequently falls into the hands of men; the Mambas are one of the rare instances a position of such importance and power would be delegated to women.

"Each [Mamba] has a story, a dream and a vision for the future," Gunther explained. "Each has a family to support, a community to educate. Funds are scarce, yet they are passionate and determined. For some, they are the only breadwinners, feeding their families on little wages. For others this is a hopeful step towards furthering their careers. For all of them, the love for nature and its conservation runs deep. Their ethos is to protect this heritage of wildlife."